Highland Challengers - Official Thread

[clydebankblitz]

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DJ Palmer (2-1)

Dayum man another hard fight right there. Woo Kidd got some solid hands man, had me feeling them shots, but my jiu jitsu's as good as it gets homie. Any of these guys wanna roll on the mat, I'll finish it one way or another.

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Archie MacDuff (1-1)

At least this time ah didny get ma c.unt kicked in eh? Force is as good a fighter as he is a chef man, gave mah coupon a good smack ur too, but ah got the win an thats aw that matters. Need ta get back in there soon. Before yae know it I'll settle in oan the coach watching Jeremy Kyle or some shit if am no focused.

[clydebankblitz]

I've got two reviews to get which. I'l do so tomorrow hopefully.

[Crawdaddy2]

@Charles Crawley

 

Thanks for the kind words but you kicked my arse!

 

Nice job Champ!

[clydebankblitz]

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HIGHLAND CHALLENGE 5 REVIEW

June 18th, 2015

By Callum McGregor

Highland Challenge 5 was a night to remember as the first ever Highland Challengers Champion was crowned. In addition to the championship, we had 9 fights of guys looking to make an impact on such a high profile card. With 70% of the fights being finished before the judges needed to get involved, it was an exciting piece of action for sure.

Welterweight

Roger Boss (2-0) def. Young bjj (0-0) by TKO (Strikes) at 1:40 of Round 2

Two 18 year olds butted heads in this contest. Boss was 2-0 and had shown some very solid clinch skills, while Young BJJ had not entered the cage professionally but his moniker tells the tale of what his strategy would be. While he jockeyed and squirmed, Bjj couldn’t secure a takedown or pull guard successfully, leaving Roger Boss open to land elbows and body punches until he eventually found a finish.

Middleweight

DJ Palmer (1-1) def. Woo Kidd (1-1) by Submission (Kimura) at 2:43 of Round 2

DJ was coming off of a very tough submission victory over Mr Pro while Woo Kidd had went the distance with kickboxing specialist Conny Larsson, dropping the fight. Palmer is a capable striker but was easily out matched early in this one. Kidd was easily the more advanced striker and was solid at defending takedowns. However, in the second round DJ countered a combination and got a takedown. He quickly took side control and locked in a tight kimura for a SOTN victory.

Heavyweight

Archie MacDuff (0-1) def. Jet Force (1-1) by Unanimous Decision

From their previous fights, we know both Archie and Jet would be capable in the clinch. Just like when he fought Phil Hellmuth Jr, another clincher, Archie opted to use his boxing at range rather than force a clinch. When he did close the distance, it was a very close and even inside game with similar numbers being landed but much more activity from Archie’s camp. In the end, it was the accurate and tight boxing skills of Archie MacDuff which was favoured by the three officials at ringside.

Heavyweight

Slade Wilson (1-1) def. Pat Sinlet (1-0) by TKO (Strikes) at 1:39 of Round 3

Pat is a native of Glascow. As a Scotsman myself, I’m going to inform everyone in America or Canada that Glascow is not a place, nor is it the correct pronunciation of Glasgow. I felt this is something that had to be stated . In this fight we saw a boxing masterclass from Slade who was coming off a knockout loss to title contender Dave Ysengrin. Pat was a tough guy in hung in there, but essentially he didn’t have enough skills in any one area to force the action into his wheelhouse.

Middleweight

Pekka Pyy (1-0) def. Takakazu Nakamoto (1-1) by KO (Punch) at 3:24 of Round 1

This was a routine win from inside the clinch for Pekka. Nakamoto tried his best to work from the outside but neither man really appeared to have the boxing acumen to land on the target. Pyy worked from inside the distance with shots to the head and body to score a first round finish. It seems that LightHeavyweight, Barney Gumble and Serge Ibaka really inspired a new generation of Island fighters to engage in the clinch.

Middleweight

Kimmo Kirruna (1-1) def. Joao Gouveia (0-0) by TKO (Strikes) at 2:26 of Round 1

After avenging his submission loss debut to Bear Grylls with a second round knockout of Bear Grylls, Kimmo got in close, clinched up and put a beating on his opponent. It’s interesting to note that Gouveia, a BJJ Purple Belt, managed to get a quick takedown and actually stood up from it. You have to wonder that if he hadn’t made such a big error, if we could have had a different outcome of this contest.

Featherweight

Hugh Janus (1-1) def. Kazushi Imanari (1-1) by Submission (Kneebar) at 4:18 of Round 1

Hugh is a bit of an early Highland Challengers favourite of mine, and with 3 fights inside the company already he is an active and interesting competitor. After being submitted by Fred Alsop, Hugh managed to bounce back with an extremely slick first round knee bar. Kazushi himself came to the cage as a BJJ Brown Belt, so this is just another impressive feather on the cap of the Australian competitor.

Welterweight

Alexander Stubb (2-0) def. Gunnar Lasson (4-2) by KO (Punch) at 0:14 of Round 1

It was a surprise that Lasson was knocked out quickly by Kobe Bryan in the main event of Highland Challenge 3. It was even more surprising here when he lasted just 14 seconds. This essentially means that Lasson has only spend 37 seconds inside the HC cage in two contests, a very bad start to his promotional career. Alexander Stubb, training partner to Pyy and Kirruna who also picked up victories on this card, in addition to former Highland Games Middleweight Champion Massa Hurmaaja, earns a Knockout of the Night bonus for his efforts.

Middleweight

Rodney Jackson (4-0) def. Oliver Queen (2-1) by Unanimous Decision

Two of our standout contenders at Middleweight competing here. Oliver Queen had won two straight and uses a varied kickboxing style. He also likes to throw in a takedown or clinch to keep opponents on their toes. Jackson is less of a question mark, utilizing a less than complex ‘Punch you in the face’ style. I imagine that before the fight, bookies would have favoured Oliver Queen if the fight went the distance but wouldn’t have ruled out an effortless early KO from the undefeated Jackson. Interestingly enough, this wasn’t the case. Despite a rapid knockdown which seemed like it would end the fight predictable for Rodney, Oliver Queen held on and recovered well. Jackson used an all-round striking game, blending kicks and punches with fluid precision. Queen did what he always does and was very effective at landing body kicks, keeping Jackson honest throughout the entire fight. Really, the fight could have been different depending on who was judging it, but the varied technique of Rodney Jackson seemed to be what caught the eye of the officials and they gave put all three rounds in that camp.

Light Heavyweight Championship

Charles Crawley (2-0) def. Mel Gordon (3-0) by Unanimous Decision

And in our main event, we witnessed the first ever Highland Challengers Championship contest. Charles Crawley was 1-0 in HC after defeating Xavier Oliva over 3 rounds. He actively sought out the knockout but his opponent was intelligent and elusive. Mel Gordon displayed shades of his brother Louis by winning all 3 of his fights by cuts, including two victories in Highland Challengers. Gordon was the favourite going into the fight due to the methods and domination he displayed in his previous three encounters. Gordon was ridiculously active at seeking the clinch, attempting to secure it a staggering 155 times. He’ll really need to mask his intentions in future fights. None the less, he did lock up 9 times and it would appear that when he did as such, Crawley would probably eat a lot of nasty elbows. Charles surprised us all though, being highly effective at dodging the elbows and breaking the clinch. From there, he was able to work his boxing from the outside and catch Gordon on his way in. After 5 rounds, Charles Crawley had done enough to take the unanimous decision, winning the inaugural Highland Challengers Light Heavyweight Championship as he did so.

KNOCKOUT OF THE NIGHT

Alexander Stubb

SUBMISSION OF THE NIGHT

DJ Palmer

FIGHT OF THE NIGHT

Slade Wilson Vs Pat Sinlet

A champion is crowned and all of us associated with Highland would like to congratulate Charles Crawley on making history. The event was entertain and enjoyable all round. Every single event we hold in these early stages could bring about the arrival of a new legendary competitor so I can’t wait to see and witness each new revelation.

[clydebankblitz]

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HIGHLAND CHALLENGE 6 REVIEW

June 19th, 2015

By Callum McGregor

Back to the Micro Arena for Highland Challenge 6. We have some of our lower ranked up and comers here in what is somewhat of a prequel to the gigantic Highland Challenge 7 event later in the week. These guys will he hoping to get their names off of build-up cards like this and onto the big show, and the only way to do that is with an impressive performance.

Light Heavyweight

Steel Island (0-1) def. Bryan Magamedov (0-0) by TKO (Cut) at 0:57 of Round 2

Island comes from experienced manager Steel Penn’s stable of fighters, so it was surprising that he was KOed in just 46 seconds in his debut. In this fight, Magamedov was desperate to make it a grappling contest but Island kept his cool and worked his kickboxing from a distance before the referee stepped in and called the action due to a cut.

Light Heavyweight

Mati Gengala (0-1) def. Xavier Oliva (0-1) by Unanimous Decision

Two guys who fought in Highland Challengers before but were unsuccessful. Mati lost on cuts to Antero Teeri while Xavier went the distance with the current champion Charles Crawley. This was quite an interesting one. Both seemed to want to make it a wrestling match but neither wanted to allow the other to be the one to bring it there. They both worked with their striking but only used it to set something else up. Not a lot of action took place, a pattern we’re beginning to see from Oliva, but the judges scored it three rounds to none for Mati Gengala.

Welterweight

Perry Hughes (0-1) def. Floyd Juneweather (0-1) by Unanimous Decision

Hughes making his HC debut while Juneweather fought at Highland Challenge 3 in a losing effort to knockout artist Alexander Stubb. What was instantly visible in this fight is that Hughes was the more effective at tying up. Juneweather seemed happy to try and work in close but Hughes was the much better cinch clinch fighter, landing strikes from absolutely everywhere when in close. In fact, Perry Hughes might be the most versatile clinch fighter I’ve seen yet, with guys like Dan Sten focusing on knees or LightHeavy Weight focusing on elbows, not many can mix it up like Perry can and that’s what got him a decision in this fight.

Middleweight

Vincente Nunes (0-1) def. Johnny Peso (0-1) by Unanimous Decision

Nunes lost on the inaugural Highland Challengers card when he was out wrestled by Takakazu Nakamoto. This was Johnny “Cash” Peso’s first fight in the promotion after being submitted in an independent circuit fight. After learning a lesson against Takakazu, Vincente Nunes seemed to want to adopt a similar style. He took the fight down repeatedly and was active in searching for ground and pound. Peso managed to land a big hook which knocked his opponent to the canvas, but his lack of takedown defence cost him this fight convincingly.

Light Heavyweight

Erick Hull (1-0) def. Shronky Macdougal (1-1) by TKO (Strikes) at 0:38 of Round 1

Erick Hull joins us after the demise of Extreme MMA, in which he picked up a submission loss to Phil Brooks. Shronky Macdougal might have one of the most interesting stories of all of our competitors, but that didn’t help him when he lost to the beautifully named Day Rapin Party by TKO at HC 2. This fight didn’t go on for long enough for us to get in depth. Hull clinched up immediately and landed punches to the head and body because unleashing a huge uppercut which sent Shronky crumbling to the canvas. An impressive quick victory for the Rockport native.

Featherweight

Cale Downes (1-1) def. Andy Yearns (0-1) by Submission (Guillotine) at 1:59 of Round 1

Both of these guys had similar promotional debuts. Downes, a BJJ Brown Belt, pulled guard and was hurt badly by the solid ground and pound of Nucky McPharson. Yearns didn’t pull guard, but was also quickly put on his back and GnPed by Juan Gomez. Now, both were looking for a little bit of redemption to right the wrongs they made last time out. It was Cale Downes who has able to do as such. Yet again Andy was taken down almost instantly. This time, he managed to sweep onto he top position quickly but this only opened him up to be caught in a guillotine choke. Downes will be really happy to show off his technique this time.

Heavyweight

Sal Wertviy (1-1) def. Erick Preuss (0-1) by Submission (Armbar) at 1:43 of Round 1

With both coming off of disappointing TKO losses, it would be a disastrous slip for either man if they didn’t get their arm raised. It is Erick Preuss who is now facing that fate. Sal was able to avoid the clinch well and shot in for a double leg which got him half guard. From there, he shot straight into mount and swiftly secured an armbar. Preuss barely even got an opportunity to defend as he was clearly out matched in jiu jitsu.

Heavyweight

Jo Smo (1-0) def. Urban Chaos (0-0) by KO (Punch) at 1:19 of Round 1

Former bareknuckle boxer and “King of the Streets” Jo Smo scored a Knockout of the Night bonus at Highland Challenge 4 when he TKOed Crazy Legs. He was coming into this one as a favourite as we didn’t know what to expect from Chaos’ arsenal. To be honest, we still don’t. Jo’s power was completely evident once again as he instantly dropped his opponent and scored the finish not too long after, picking up his second bonus. What was interesting is that we saw a little bit of the kicking game from Smo as well, so this could be an interesting extra faucet of his game.

Featherweight

Patrick Seery (1-0) def. White Chocolate (0-0) by TKO (Punches) at 1:09 of Round 1

Although we hadn’t seen either of these men compete under the HC banner before, we were told that they were both boxers who’d love to go toe to toe until the end. That’s exactly what we got, but to be fair the end came about just beyond the first minute. Patrick Seery was the much more accurate and effective striker. Chocolate only landed one grazing punch while the Dublin fighter barely missed a shot. In the end, it was a combination of straight punches and hooks which saw Chocolate collapse to the floor, allowing Seery to earn his second straight win.

Featherweight

Roger Bennett (0-1) def. Andy Florence (1-0) by Unanimous Decision

If you were expecting some of the most familiar guys for our main event, then you’ll be a bit disappointed. This event was more about building contenders as opposed to showcasing them, which is why neither of these men are big names within the organisation. Roger Bennett challenged Hugh Janus at HC 1 but the fight was quickly dragged to the floor where he was submitted. Florence is a BJJ White Belt, and although Woody Forrest has displayed some talent in submissions at this rank, it’s not common at all so Bennett was confident enough that he would work this time. The fight saw its way into the clinch repeatedly where Roger completely controlled. He utilized a combination of knees to the head and body to wear Florence down over the distance, and although the finish eluded him for the duration, he still managed to dominate fully which will bring a lot to Roger for his future affairs.

KNOCKOUT OF THE NIGHT

Jo Smo

SUBMISSION OF THE NIGHT

Sal Wertviy

FIGHT OF THE NIGHT

Mati Gengala Vs Xavier Oliva

This wasn’t winning any awards for event of the year, but we had a lot of guys here that may have dropped their first fight or were making their promotional debuts. These early stages of The Island are all about developing talent and bringing new names out of the woodwork. You never know what level of opponent these guys might have had in their debuts as only time will tell how successful everyone could become, so don’t count anyone out just yet. With two straight KOTN bonuses, Jo Smo is certainly the name to watch out for.

[clydebankblitz]

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What's Up?
Interviews with Jim What

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Dave Ysengrin Interview (3-0)

What: Joining us now is Heavyweight title challenger Dave Ysengrin. Dave, what has been the keys to success for you thus far in your 3 fight career?

Ysengrin: As cliche as it might sound, it's believing in myself. I know i have the power to knock anyone out and I go in there expecting just that. I am gifted with a great physique unlike most of these McDonald eating lumps in the division but then again i can't blame them if it's all they can afford.

What: You have become known as somewhat of a knockout artist already. Is this something you specifically train?

Ysengrin: It all dates back to my youth. A good ol' scrap of fisticuffs at Eaton has allowed me to work on my boxing technique. I may not be the best boxer but I bring the best fight, I have said before these poorer folk fight for money not for pleasure and that gives them holes in their games. Whereas i do it for the thrill. I tried helping a few in the gym I am stuck in on the Island but they don't listen to me so I knock them out.

What: There's one question on everyone's minds; Is Dave Ysenrgin a true member of the Ysengrin clan?

Ysengrin: I only took my biological father's name to get more hype. Yes i am a true member but that Kraut has not done anything for me in my life other than ejaculate inside my mother's vajayjay.

What: Tell us about your story. You were born to Knut Ysengrin, whom you say has had no impact on your life. How have you ended up in a position of wealth in England?

Ysengrin: 9 months before i was born, there was a local MMA tournament near Hampshire. My mother begged her Lord father if she could attend this brutal tournament so she could see poor people fight to amuse the esteemed folk. She was smitten with one of these fighters who was my father, Knut. He buggered off after that 1 passionate night to continue fighting around the world. I was raised as the grandson of one of England's lords and my mother was married off to the highest bidder so to speak. Knut came to see my just before my 25th birthday, he told me the story of his mediocre career as a fighter and wanted to train me to be better. Now i refused him and packed up my belongings and went to the Island. The only thing i stole was his last name and my true name shall not be revealed.

What: So you feel like by having a successful mixed martial arts career, staring with becoming the Highland Challengers champion, would show your biological father that you're better than he ever was?

Ysengrin: He never received a title shot, he is a bum by all standards. I'm not in this to be better than him though, he is just an inconvenience.

What: Have you had much contact with your brothers?

Ysengrin: Some of them, the ones that share my hatred for our father. But most of my brothers are ungainly boors and i avoid them and do not speak. Giacomo and Cingeto i get along with, they know how to live.

What: Well it's a fascinating story which will only grow with experience in mixed martial arts. Thanks for talking with us Dave and good luck in your championship match.

Ysengrin: Thank you for having the most populat HW fighter with you again Jimmy old boy. Woody Forrest, keep your head tucked in and i will uppercut you, try one of your shitty takedowns and i will leave you face first on the floor, try striking with me and i will leave you face down ass up. So make this a good fight, one the fans will enjoy and not you trying to hump my leg.

[clydebankblitz]

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What's Up?
Interviews with Jim What

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Oliver Dickens Interview (2-0)

What: Ahead of Highland Challengers 7, I'm speaking to one of the title contenders fighting on the card; Oliver Dickens. How are things coming into your third professional fight Oliver?

Dickens: Well, in my last fight, I went up against a very game Nicklas Lidstorm. I was able to impose my will and finish him in the first round, and I think that's what earned me my title shot. My training has been going very well and I'm looking forward to grabbing that title.

What: You have utilized your ground and pound very well thus far, but you also have a BJJ Purple Belt. Will you be focusing on getting some submissions in other fights?

Dickens: Yes I'm always looking for submissions, but my ground n pound is my main weapon. I try to stop my opponents in any way I can, if the submission is there, I'll take it.

What: When your training partner, Rodrigo Rojas, took the Highland Games Light Heavyweight belt, he lost it before defending and has not been able to regain it since. If you were to defeat Kobe Bryan and walk home with the gold, do you think Rojas' experience would help you to defend it?

Dickens: Well yes, Rodrigo is one of my biggest idols and a great competitor when on his best. He has taught me a lot and I hope someday I'll be as good as he is.

What: Your opponent, Kobe Bryan, is known for his impactful striking. Do you think this fight relys on your wrestling skills?

Dickens: I'm no fool and I won't lie, I know he is the better striker and he hits hard. I'll be looking to take him down and end it on the ground as I always do.

What: Have you got any final words for Kobe?

Dickens: I'll let my fighting talk for me inside the octagon. Thank Callum for the interview and all the fans for the support. I'll put up a great fight for you all.

[clydebankblitz]

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What's Up?
Interviews with Jim What

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Fred Aslop Interview (6-0)

What: Joining me now is top ranked Featherweight competitor Fred Aslop. Fred, you recently parted ways with your manager Jackson Kane. May we ask what happened?

Aslop: I wasn't happy with the way I was treated, I feel I was not taken care off well enough. So I decided to join one of the most renown camp in the Highlands Games brand under the supervision of Arcalimon the coach.

What: You currently have the best record in Highland Challengers. Does that give you confidence coming into this fight?

Aslop: Yeah I have a good record for sure, but when you enter an organisation like Highlands Challengers you know it can't be enough. I think what showed everyone what I can do is my last fight against the top prospect Hugh Janus. I could have beaten him in the standup, but I decided to win the fight where he felt like he was stronger, finishing him on the ground.

What: We haven't seen a lot of your stand up game so far, but are told from your camp that you have a strong muay thai base. What ideology do you adopt in stand up striking? Do you like the clinch or to fight at distance?

Aslop: That's a secret man: that's why I never showed my techniques to the media before. Just know this: i can knock anybody out in this division, and if they try to take me down... well, they are going to get submitted.

What: Your opponent, Dang Sai, will undoubtedly want to take this fight into the clinch. Does knowing your opponent's style give you an advantage?

Aslop: Of course. Dang Sai is absolutely brutal and spectacular when he can fight at his distance, I sure love all that violence, but can he do anything else? I don't think so. This is MMA, so he better be prepared to fight everywhere this time.

What: Well hopefully it will be one for the ages on Saturday night. Thanks for speaking with us and good luck in your fight.

Aslop: Thanks to you man. It was a pleasure.

[Wolf]

Will there be a preview for the most anticipated fight so far on Highland Challengers?

[Wolf]

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Dave "Laddington Bear" Ysengrin

"Laddington Bear is going to beat the wood out of poor Woody come Saturday night. Sure i could get caught by a fluke punch but 9 times out of 10 I beat the living daylight out of him."

[clydebankblitz]

Will there be a preview for the most anticipated fight so far on Highland Challengers?

 

Yeah I'm gonna try and throw out the HG review now and then do a preview hopefully early tomorrow morning.

[clydebankblitz]

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HIGHLAND CHALLENGE 7 PREVIEW

June 20th, 2015

By Callum McGregor

It’s Highland Challengers’ biggest card to date as we debut three titles to the world. There is a tonne on the line here as history will be written across three separate divisions. Let’s get this started.

Middleweight

Heinz Smorebrod (0-1) Vs Vitor Belfort (0-1)

Kicking off our evening of action is Heinz Smorebrod and Vitor Belfort. Both have tasted nothing but defeat in their careers thus far but we’ve seen more of Heinz as he went the distance at HC 1. That’s not specifically a good thing as he throw combination after combination with literally no success at all. Vitor might be able to capitalize and make him pay.

Heavyweight

Ronald Khoodamal (0-2) Vs John Machado (1-0)

Ronald “Dutch Man” Khoodmal has been knocked out and submitted, which isn’t a good stard. He likes to throw ground and pound and elbows but struggles to control the fight to allow himself to get into the positon to use them. Machado is your routine submission specialist. Good wrestling, a BJJ Brown Belt, Khoodamal is going to have to keep this fight standing if he wants a win here. Both of these fighters are also managed by Ben Frankham so it’ll be strange to see how that dynamic comes into play in the fight.

Lightweight

David Bell (0-2) Vs Steve Yzerman (1-1)

We haven’t seen anything from Bell yet in his career. A quick submission loss to Glorious Superior and controlled in the clinch from Jimenez, we haven’t seen the stand up game of David Bell on full display yet. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll see it here. Steve Yzerman KOed Jimenez in his debut fight, so even though he isn’t the most experienced striker I think he has the power to get another solid finish.

Lightweight

Juan Jimenez (1-1) Vs Maximus Vedder (0-0)

Jimenez is a clinch fighter who specifically likes to use his knees. While he doesn’t look heavily for the stoppage, he is happy to win a fight as long as he dominates. With some questions about his chin, Juan will want to prove to everyone that his jaw isn’t made of glass here. Maximus Vedder is currently looking for new management, so we don’t know if he’s got the right gameplan coming in, but he’s a boxer with a BJJ Brown Belt so he could be a tough test for Juan Jimenez.

Light Heavyweight

Marcin Kowalski (2-1) Vs Antero Teeri (2-0)

Kowalski isn’t exactly getting accused of trying to entertain the fans, but with solid wrestling and a BJJ Blue Belt he can handle himself in a grappling exchange. He lost to Mel Gordon by cuts, which may not be great because Antero Teeri is also a solid clinch technician with two wins by cuts behind him.

Featherweight

Vincent King (3-0) Vs Nukcy McPharson (2-0)

King has went to the third round twice already, so his cardio is far from a question mark. With solid boxing, he’s going to look to keep this one standing and keep the pressure on for the entire duration. Irishman Nucky has some killer ground and pound and a background in professional pub fighting. That’s essentially like being an elite rounders player entering a baseball tournament, but Nucky has proven that he knows how to put fists in faces and that’s exactly what he plans to do tonight.

Light Heavyweight

Roberto Boucher (2-0) Vs Genn Golo (1-0)

Louisiana’s “Waterboy” brings two straight knockouts into the cage with him this evening. Roberto leaves nothing to the imagination as he displays every aspect of his game in the cage. As a perfect example of the classic Sprawl and Brawl style, Boucher is a force to be reckoned with on the feet. I hear his son is making noise in college football as well.

Genn Golo is another of the bizarrely named fighters joining JJ Media’s stable. A quick turnover at Highland Challenge 4 has given him confidence in his boxing, and he also has a little bit of muay thai behind him as well. Due to the small amount of fighters either man has had, we don’t actually know who will be the superior fighter here but it will certainly be played out on the feet.

Welterweight Championship

Kobe Bryan (4-0) Vs Oliver Dickens (2-0)

Kobe Bryan is a fighter to be feared. 4 fights, 4 first round knockouts, and exactly one round of cage time in total. This guy can knock you out, straight up, nothing complex about it. The Norwegian welterweight doesn’t hang about in the fight and likes to land on your chin, but don’t sleep on his grappling skills. Kobe is a BJJ Purple Belt so you know he’s constantly training his submission skills.

Oliver Dickens is also a Purple Belt, but the difference is that he only wants the fight on the mat. He has the wrestling and submission skills to take opponents out, but what he is the biggest factor for me is that he also has some killer ground and pound. Based on what we know about Oliver’s wrestling skills, he’ll probably be able to take this fight down quite quickly. From there, it’s a question mark. I actually think Dickens might be a surprising favourite since he’ll probably be able to outwrestle Kobe and from there, the submission game is a stalemate. The GnP could be the deciding factor, but if Dickens can’t get the takedown he’s dead in the water.

Heavyweight Championship

Dave Ysengrin (3-0) Vs Woody Forrest (2-1)

Striker Vs….ehhhh….grappler? How do you describe Woody Forrest’s style when the BJJ White Belt has two wins, two submissions and two submissions of the night? A really bizarre and unpredictable style, bit Big Wood also has some boxing abilities which he showed us in the Jet Force fight. Dave Ysengrin on the other hand is less complicated. A face puncher through and through, Dave is capable of winning the fight from any position that allows him to throw hands. With a silver spoon in his mouth, he puts a fist in his opponent’s, and for all 3 of his fights that has resulted in the referee dragging him back. A member of the legendary Ysengrin clan, Dave fights from a different perspective at the top end of Milton Keynes.

I’m struggling to pick this fight. If Dave can land hard and fast, the fight probably isn’t going to last very long which will make him a favourite. Every fight starts standing up. But Woody might come out with a flying gogoplata for all we know because this guy personifies unpredictability. Will he stand and bang? Will he shoot in for a takedown? We really don’t know what skills he has beyond his ‘experience’ which makes us clueless to what he intends to bring to the table.

Featherweight Championship

Fred Aslop (6-0) Vs Dang Sai (2-0)

Aslop is probably the most experienced Highland Challengers fighter with an impressive 6-0 record to his name. 5 of his victories have come by submission and at Highland Challenge 3 he scored a solid Submission of the Night armbar over Hugh Janus. Following this fight, Aslop split from his manager Jackson Kane for reasons which aren’t fully clear. Luckily he was picked up by “Mr. Highland Games” Arclimon the Coach, manager to the current HG Middleweight Champion Massimo Benvenuti, which if anything has only raised his stock.

Now that I’ve used the term Mr. Highland Games for Coach, what do I use for myself? Dang Sai is managed by Callum McGregor, creator of HG. The Phucket, Thailand competitor has a classic muay thai background and utilized his elbows from the clinch to win two straight fights in the independent circuit. His gameplan is predictable but you can’t deny it’s effectiveness. He will look to tie up and put elbows in your face for as long as the referee allows.

The interesting thing in this fight is Fred Aslop’s clinch skills. He has barely used them due to the rapid nature of most of his fights, but to really learn about his style you can look at the fight against Connor Jeffrey. Jeffrey took the clinch easily, which might be a downside for Aslop, but Fred was not only comfortable inside, he rocked Jeffry late in the fight. Really, it all comes down to a few questions. Can Fred avoid the clinch, can Fred be successful inside the clinch and can Fred drag the fight to the floor from inside the clinch? These might all be nullified is Aslop can shoot in instantly but it seems a safer bet to say that this fight will certainly be played out in close.

There is so much on the line throughout this card and the steaks couldn’t be higher. One of these contenders could be the future of Highland Challengers. Remember, the first Highland Games champion ever was Barney Gumble, and we know how well that turned out. We could have another legendary fighter making a name for himself here tonight, and three men will join Charles Crawley in the hall of champions.

[rodrigokrojas]

Oliver The Smasher Dickens coming for that belt tonight!!

[BlakePhoenix]

Darrell Gilson is an overrated mama's boy. My fighter El Diablo would OWN him! Let's make it happen.

[Wolf]

#LaddingtonBear

[BlakePhoenix]

Sal Wertviy . . . who? Overrated what??? Billy G.O.A.T. would like the opportunity to knock Sal down where he belongs.

[Guest]

Joseph Wright "As Highland Challengers 8 creeps closer and closer I can't hold my excitement in. I came in here with the idea that I would take over this division and winning the title would prove I wasn't lying."

[clydebankblitz]

Darrell Gilson is an overrated mama's boy. My fighter El Diablo would OWN him! Let's make it happen.

 

 

(My brother, sitting next to me, is Darrell Gilson's manager)

 

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Darrell Gilson (1-1)

Haha, easy come, easy go. NEXT!

[Arcalimon]

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Fred Alsop (7-0, HC 2-0)

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"I'm happy I got a dominant win against such a tough opponent. I'm looking to keep this belt as long as I can, hopefully until the end of the island season. I'm ready for my first title defense"

[Sohito]

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Richard 'Dick' Winters

"Another big win on my way to top. I knew what was awaiting me tonight, so I was prepared for all that kicks thrown by Conny Larsson. I was maybe a little too eager in exchanges, but finally i managed to shorten distance and come out with strong right hand counter. I hope that next in line will be Joseph Wright, it would be great to meet him in cage soon. I believe that I deserve to get a chance to fight for Middleweight Championship as next contender."

F***, I'm pretty sure that Winters would be 4-0 for this moment, just forgot to set sliders for his first fight about which I'm pretty sure Winters would take the W...

[Guest]

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"Machine Gun" Joseph Wright

185 lbs Champion

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"I came in and made the bold claim that I was going to take over the division. Now I have the belt and am the first Highland Challengers 185 champion. I plan to keep this title for a while."

[Guest]

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"Machine Gun" Joseph Wright

185 lbs Champion

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"Well Richard Winters you got what you asked for. Normally I would get irritated at someone getting a title shot simply because they asked for it, but you have in fact proven yourself and are without a doubt the top contender right now. With that being said I hope you are ready for what should be a great fight, I know it will be on my part at least."

[Sohito]

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Richard 'Dick' Winters

I said loud what I'm sure I deserve. And I'm glad that also Headquarters agreed at this. I can't wait to fight for the belt, for sure, and I'm absolutely delighted that it's going to be what Fans love the most- striking match. And according to this, there is no preparation needed, what we will want to show, we already have. There will be no running away, no laying on the ground, simply it will be as it always should- to cage will enter two guys, who just want the belt, and wwill stand their ground. May the best man win!

[Guest]

 

 

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Richard 'Dick' Winters

I said loud what I'm sure I deserve. And I'm glad that also Headquarters agreed at this. I can't wait to fight for the belt, for sure, and I'm absolutely delighted that it's going to be what Fans love the most- striking match. And according to this, there is no preparation needed, what we will want to show, we already have. There will be no running away, no laying on the ground, simply it will be as it always should- to cage will enter two guys, who just want the belt, and wwill stand their ground. May the best man win!

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"Machine Gun" Joseph Wright

185 lbs Champion

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"So you would fight me tomorrow without ever training? You are crazy! Yes both of us are already strikers which is what fans seem to prefer, but I have holes in my game I need to work on for my fight with you, and I hate to break it to you you have holes you need to work on too. We both need the training for it to be the great fight it can be."

[thb]

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Charles Crawley

 

@Hamlet Bone: You are ridiculously talented and I wish you the best but as a champion I'll have to do everything in my power to defeat you, so give it all you got and may the best man win! Let's put on a show for the ages!